Texas Smashes 1925 Heat Record as Power Prices Surge on Demand

North Texas smashed a 93-year-old daily heat record Thursday, with the mercury climbing to 108 degreesFahrenheit (42 Celsius) in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“Delay walking your dog until sunset” during the heat wave, the National Weather Service said in a message posted on Twitter. “Our infrared thermometer measured 136 degrees this afternoon on the sidewalk. These temperatures are hot enough to burn Fido’s paws.”

Texas was set to break its power-demand record for the second day in a row, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s grid operator. “It’s insanely hot here,” said Ercot spokeswoman Leslie Sopko. “You can only be outside if you’re in a swimming pool.”

Wholesale prices for electricity secured a day in advance reached three-year highs, soaring above $1,500 a megawatt-hour for several hours in the region on Wednesday and Thursday, as people blasted their air conditioners to stay cool.